1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a system and method for socially connecting payment card holders. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for socially connecting through payment card holder profiles based upon payment card holder financial transaction information (e.g., purchasing and payment transactions).
2. Description of the Related Art
The popularity and growth of social network sites and services has increased dramatically over the last few years. Present social network sites include Facebook, Google+, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, Flicker, Jaiku, MYUBO, Bebo, and the like. Such social networking sites are typically web-based and organized around user profiles and/or collections of content accessible by members of the network. Membership in such social networks is composed of individuals, or groupings of individuals, who are generally represented by profile pages and permitted to interact as determined by the social networking service.
In many popular social networks, especially profile-focused social networks, activity centers on web pages or social spaces that enable members to view profiles, communicate and share activities, interests, opinions, status updates, audio/video content, and the like, across networks of contacts. Some social networking services also allow members to track certain activities of other members of the social network, collaborate, locate and connect with existing friends, former acquaintances and colleagues, and establish new connections with other members.
Individual members typically connect to social networking services through existing web-based platforms via a computing device, tablet or smartphone. Members often share a common bond, social status, or geographic or cultural connection with their respective contacts. Smartphone and games-based mobile social networking services are examples of rapidly developing areas.
While social networks are usually composed of individuals, members might also include companies, restaurants, political parties and event profiles that are represented in a like manner to human members (e.g., profile pages accessible by members of a social network).
The member profiles on social network sites are typically generated from information provided by individual members and overseen by the social networking service. Such information may or may not be accurate. When members view profiles, communicate and share activities, interests, opinions, and the like, across networks of contacts, there can be uncertainty about the veracity of profile information. In many instances, the members blindly trust the information in the profiles that appear on their screen.
As the use of social networks continues to proliferate, the limitations of sharing of informational content and the like, software functionality/services, and monitoring and security measures used in the context of social networks become more of a concern. As a result, it becomes apparent that current informational content, software functionality/services, and monitoring and security measures are less than perfect.
Accordingly, there is a need for a social network where member profiles are based at least in part on real information or data, such as financial transaction data, and not solely on subjective information provided by a member.